‘£400m for four players’ – Ex-Liverpool striker urges Reds to spare no expense in summer market

He wrote:‘We’re losing one of the best players we’ve ever had in the club in Salah. A replacement won’t be cheap. If it’s another £100m I don’t care. Go and get them. The club’s probably worth £4bn. That’s the value of the club. They should spend another £100m on a holding midfield player. The very best available. That’s just for starters.

‘Andy Robertson is leaving. They will need another left-back. They might even need another centre-back. They must get the best ones they can. £400m for four players. Bang. If it’s good enough for Chelsea and Man City, then it’s good enough for us. Also, the squad needs to be really strong, including the players who don’t start every week.’

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Liverpool must be ready to spend big to sign the best in class

It’s unclear how much scope for spending Liverpool will have in the summer transfer window, with the budget set to be heavily determined by whether or not we secure Champions League qualification, and how much income is banked from player sales.

With a top-five finish now seeming increasingly likely and FSG’s net worth rising by £225m in the past 12 months, there should be a handsome amount of cash available for new signings at Anfield, and Aldridge is right to call for the club to pursue the best in class rather than settling for adequate options.

In terms of a replacement for Salah, Michael Olise would appear to be the outstanding candidate, but prising him from Bayern Munich could be fiendishly tough. RB Leipzig’s Yan Diomande would be a welcome alternative, even if he’d reportedly cost £87m.

When it comes to a high-quality defensive midfielder, Adam Wharton stands out at a rumoured £80m on the market, and Crystal Palace’s visit to Anfield on Saturday would seem the perfect setting for him to ‘audition’ for a move to Liverpool if he were to desire one.

We don’t see the Reds spending big on a left-back, with Milos Kerkez set to hold down the position for the foreseeable future and Kostas Tsimikas set to return from loan, although a Joe Gomez-esque central defender who can cover the full-back positions would be a smart investment.

FSG are unlikely to spend another £400m+ in the market this summer, but there are certainly a few areas in the squad which need reinforcement. If that means spending big to recruit the best options available, so be it.